Tractor.



R. E. OLDS.

TRAOTOR. APPLICATION FILED DBO.13, 1913.

Patented Aug. 4, 1914;

2 8HBETS-8HEET 1.

IHVEHTOR $9. Gm)

flTTORHEY R. E. OLDS. TRACTOR.

APPLICATION FILED DEU.13, 1913.

Patented Aug. 4, 1914.

2 BHEETS-SHEBT 2.

NW R @WW HANSON: E. OLDS, F LANSING, MICHIGAN.

TRACTOR.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RANSOM E. ones, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lansing, county of Ingham, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Tractors, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanyin drawings, which form a art of this speci cation.

his invention'relates to tractors. It is adapted to travel over rou h and uneven ground and it is so designed it can be turned around in its own length.

In the drawings: Figure 1, is a side elevation with a part of the front of the tractor broken away. Fig. 2, is a top plan view.

The tractor is made upessentially of two units, the front unit and a rear unit. The front unit comprises a platform a in the form of an inverted receptacle or housing. The lower end of the latform is turned out to form an angular ange b. This flange abruptly thickens at its exterior edge and through this thickened portion bolts are passed which hold the ring a. This ring a protrudes inwardly beyond the abruptly thickened portion of the flange and forms with the flange a groove (1 adapted to receive the annular" flange. 6 of the circular track f. The flange e fits into the groove d loosely so that the platform and depending ring may turn with respect to the track f. This arrangement of parts makes in reality a turntable, the track of which is a part of the rear unit of the tractor connected therewith by being bolted to the Z-bar hanger portions 9 which are a part of the casting that forms the floor k of the tractor.

A steering column 11 is journaled in a suitable sleeve j that is bolted to the floor of the tractor and it carries on its lower end a pinion la, the teeth of which engage with a chain 1. This chain l extends around the outside of the ring 0 which is grooved to retain it, hence b turning the steering column, the chain 1s moved and this pulls the ring about on the circular track and thereby moves the front unit including the platform a.

Within the platform a is located a bilged roller we provided with a hollow trunnion n.

A shaft 0 runs through the axis of the roller and through the trunnions. This shaft is Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 13. 1913.

Patented Aug. 4, 1914.

Serial No. 806,379.

j ournaled at each end in the bearing brackets 0 ralsed on the upper surface of the annular flange (1. The bilged roller, like a bilged barrel may be turned with little effort as it has a small area of contact with the round. However, enough surface is provider? by the complete peripheral area of the roller so that when soft soil is met the roller will not sink. It is a dilticult matter to turn a heavy structure like a tractor in soft ground but I obviate this ditliculty by the bilged construction of in roller which makes it possible to turn the front unit by hand power.

On the top of the platform a is located an engine base (1 that is bolted to the platform. A pair of opposing engine cylinders 1' are shown. This internal combustion engine drives the shaft .9, which carries the fly wheel. Upon the end of the shaft is a spur gear a whose teeth engage with the links of a chain w. This chain w runs over a larger gear wheel '0 and to this larger gear wheel is fastened another small spur gear zr. To the end of the roller m. is bolted the larger gear wheel y. The chain 2 passes from the teeth of the small spur gear a: to the teeth of the larger gear wheel y. This line of power transmission from the engine shaft to the roller considerably reduces the speed of rotation. It will be understood that any appropriate reduction gearing could be used. The engine, the transmission line, and the roller are all connected with the platform a and form the front unit. The roller supports the platform and platform supports the track f.

The floor 11- of the tractor may be attached to the rear axle 1 by any simple means such as clips 2. A seat 3 is supported in the familiar way by a C-spring 4. The wheels 5 rotate on the ends of the axle 1.

The turn-table fashion of .journaling the front and rear units together permits of the turning of the tractor within its own length which is an advantage in taking the corners of a field in which the tractor is working.

What I claim is:

A tractor, having in combination, a platform having a circular base with an inverted receptacle or a housing, rising therefrom, a I

Q 1,1o5,ese

tween the Power unit and the roller below, a In testimony whereof, I sign this specifi- Igem utiithconiiecfted with the siild iriular cation in the presence of two Witnesses.

ase 0 t e at orm in turn-ta e as ion, and steeringpmeans mounted upon the rear RANSOM OLDST unit and connecting with the platform to Witnesses: turn the platform with respect to the rear EMORY W. 01103, unit when actuated JAs. H. THOMPSON. 

